For one Vietnam veteran, serving others is a way of life. And for the homeless dog he saved, she now has a new leash on life thanks to this kind-hearted man who dedicates himself to serve others: men, women, children and pets - with no distinction.
Andy the Bloodhound and the Vietnam legacy
Steve served as a military policeman in the 615th MP Brigade in Vietnam. They were known as the Bloodhounds and their mascot was Andy the bloodhound. Andy played a big role in the lives of those soldiers living so far away from home. He was a much needed distraction from what was around them, and … [Read more...]

An abandoned dog rescued by an Army combat veteran not only got a new leash on life, but found renewed purpose by saving his veteran from the crushing symptoms of PTSD.
Determined to his join band of brothers in combat
In 2004 Justin decided to see more of the world outside of his hometown of Avery, Texas. He joined the Army on his seventeenth birthday and served in the Army Reserve for four years, including a deployment to Iraq from 2006 to 2007. Currently stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado as a sergeant, he is poised to retire just one month short of celebrating his tenth anniversary in … [Read more...]

An adopted adult dog with a larger-than-life personality helps an 80 year-old Navy veteran and grandfather stay active, and young at heart.
"My children thought I needed a pet...and they were right"
"I'm an 80 year-old grandpa and dad," says Ralph. "I've been married to the same woman for 58 years, we still enjoy each others company."
Yet in 2012, Ralph and his wife, Barbara, had suffered the loss of their little dog, Jessie. The Navy veteran remembered how "the house hadn't been the same" without their beloved pet. Ralph and Barbara were having a hard time adapting to a dog-less home, in … [Read more...]

Richard is an Army veteran whose family doubled in size when he and his wife were honorably adopted by two cats from the Monmouth County SPCA. Little did he realize at the time that in saving the cats, they would become a lifeline for his wife when Richard prepared his return to active duty service.
In the Army, being all he could be
Richard was just 17 years old when he enlisted in the Army. He was stationed at Fort Drum, New York as a forward observer and deployed to Afghanistan for a year. What he appreciates the most about his Army service is that it challenged him to fulfill his … [Read more...]

Life was rough for a stray dog roaming the streets of Norfolk until a young Navy family made her their own and, in the process, made themselves whole.
Trixie had three strikes against her: homeless, a large dog and a "bully breed" to boot. Many of these animas are the victims of abuse or raised to fight other dogs. Trixie stood a chance at a better life when she was rescued by the Norfolk Animal Care and Adoption Center, but soon after her arrival the shelter was at maximum capacity. Adoptable animals, like Trixie, needed to find a home - and fast.
As luck would have it, Trixie's ship had … [Read more...]

A career Navy veteran who traveled the world learns important life lessons from a last-chance shelter dog.
For almost three decades, Betty served in the Naval Reserve and dedicated 40 years as a civilian employee until her dual retirements. In the course of a civilian job with the Navy Recruiting Area FIVE in Great Lakes, Illinois, Betty was invited to join the Navy through the Advanced Pay Grade Program, which sought Naval candidates with related civilian experience. She enlisted and, after nearly 30 years of service exclaims, "It was the best decision I ever made!”
Betty’s Naval career … [Read more...]

It was an adopted second chance cat that helped an Army veteran and family man keep a promise to his young daughter.
The commitment
Martin is an Army veteran who lives in Shelby Township, Michigan with his wife, an Army recruiter, and their six year-old daughter. He is currently a police training officer at the Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital in Detroit.
For years, Martin’s daughter had begged her parents for a kitten. However, with two family dogs – a Yellow Labrador and a Beagle-Jack Russell Terrier mix – Martin and his wife felt they already had enough to handle, and promised … [Read more...]

A rescued Chihuahua dog named Muchacho lived up to his name: rambunctious, demanding attention, and stealing the hearts of a career Army soldier and her two children. Stormy, still serving in the Army, tells her family's story.
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I am currently serving on active duty for the US Army. I am assigned to Fort Meade, Maryland's Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center. I am a mother of two amazing children: 14 year-old Easton and Kaitlyn, who is 10. I have been serving in the Army for 16 years as a radiology specialist.
I entered the Army upon graduating from college at Western Illinois University … [Read more...]

A senior dog with terminal cancer finds his final home with an Air Force veteran who is dedicated to providing a loving hospice to ailing, older dogs. This is the story of Wendy and Jonah, but is really a larger tale about compassion and love.
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Taking flight around the world with the U.S. Air Force
I currently live in Ohio about an hour from where I grew up. I joined the Air Force, active duty, through the delayed enlistment program while a junior in high school. I left for basic training three weeks after graduation. After my four year tour I left active service and eventually made my … [Read more...]

You entrust a friend to make sure that your pet is safe and sound while you deploy, only to discover upon your return that your beloved Fluffy or Fido has been surrendered to a shelter, sold or given away. Because "friends" like this exist, military pet parents have a unique responsibility to make proper, legally binding arrangements to assure the health and safety of their pets - and to have confidence that their four-legged family members will be there when they return from deployment.
Deployment boarding
There are reputable organizations whose sole focus is providing short- and long-term … [Read more...]